Toilet Shield System

ABSTRACT

A toilet shield system for covering a toilet and preventing release of microbes and small waste particles after flushing. In one embodiment, the toilet system comprises two separate detachably attached sections made of tissue-type, non-porous, disposable and biodegradable material, impregnated with an antimicrobial agent, and the bottom section includes a central cutout flap portion having a perforated tear line. The top and bottom sections are coupled together by a perforated section that allows for easy separation. The toilet system also contains a pouch section holding one or more disposable paper wipes, one or more sanitary hand wipes, and a set of paper gloves. The packaging of the toilet system is in the design of an origami that allows all components of the system to be flushable and biodegradable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to a contactless toiletshield system for an existing toilet, and more particularly abiodegradable, microbiologically impregnated and disposable toiletshield system that is comprised of thin tissue-type, non-porous paperthat acts as a shield against the “plume-effect” when the toilet isflushed.

BACKGROUND ART

Most public and office complex restroom toilets are designed withoutsingle use self-contained spaces and toilet seat cover lids. As spacescontinue to gradually open up in a post Covid-19 world, one area ofconcern for the safety of restroom users is the potential of theplume-effect, meaning when a toilet contains water and a flush occurs,the flush generates a vortex that displaces air in the bowl. Thesevortices move upward and the centrifugal force pushes out at least 6,000tiny droplets and even tinier aerosol particles. One way to reduce theplume-effect is to install lids on public toilets, however this is notalways possible in public bathrooms. Contaminated toilets have beendocumented prior to the covid-19 pandemic and have clearly shown toproduce large droplet nuclei bioaerosols during flushing. Therefore,when a toilet is flushed, a toilet plume is released into the air thatcarries a whole host of microbes and small waste particles with it,meaning there is a risk that the plume-effect easily transmits in a widerange of air space when a toilet is flushed and can be an important rolein the transmission of infectious diseases. As it relates to Covid-19,droplets of ARS-COV-2 which causes the Covid-19, can be spread and livein the air for up to three hours and be disseminated to hard surfaceareas where they can live for 3-4 days. Covid-19 has also been found inhuman poop, up to 33 days after infected people have recovered andtested negative for the virus.”

To address a serious health concern during and post Covid-19 withinpublic restrooms, a contactless toilet shield system this is disposable,biodegradable and microbially impregnated is needed that will act as avirtual toilet seat lid cover that contains the toilet plume in a singleflush for the single toilet user as well as the subsequent toilet user,without the expense and regulatory building codes of retrofitting publicshared restroom facilities.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a toilet shield system for covering atoilet and preventing release of microbes and small waste particlesafter flushing. The system is contactless, microbiologicallyimpregnated, and disposable. In addition, all active ingredientscomprising the toilet shield system are biodegradable and designed tonot clog the toilet system. The lower section of the system is attachedto the toilet seat with tabs on the lower side and the top section isattached to the back of the toilet with tabs on the upper side. Thebottom section has a cutout that is treated on both sides with themicrobial agent. The top section also has a pouch section that hasdisposable paper wipes, sanitary hand wipes, and gloves. The onlysection that is not microbiologically impregnated is the parts thatadhere to the toilet seat itself. The system will be in the design ofthe origami inspired packaging that allows all components of the systemto be flushable and biodegradable. The exterior of the top section willinclude a pair of paper detachable gloves for use prior to entrance andpost use egress from toilet stall making the entire operationcontactless.

After toilet use, the bottom section is manually deployed into thetoilet bowl by lifting the attached tabs. Finally, the top section ismanually peeled off the back of the toilet and deployed into the toiletbowl. Once the system is in the toilet bowl, it will also alleviatemulti flush episodes, therefore, conserving water use. Themicrobiologically impregnated treated paper will also contain the plumeeffect physically and chemically in the toilet bowl. This combinationwill be disposed of because the vortex created by flush will dispose ofthe biodegradable paper and the content. The system contains thepotential plume existing from prior toilet user and protects subsequentusers from the plume effect once deployed as designed.

In one embodiment, the system is comprised of two separate attachedbiodegradable sheets of thin tissue-type paper with non-porousproperties with both sides impregnated with an antimicrobial agent. Thetop and bottom sections are attached with a perforated section thatallows for easy separation in sequence of lower section.

Other aspects, embodiments and features of the system and method willbecome apparent from the following detailed description when consideredin conjunction with the accompanying figures. The accompanying figuresare for schematic purposes and are not intended to be drawn to scale. Inthe figures, each identical or substantially similar component that isillustrated in various figures is represented by a single numeral ornotation. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled inevery figure. Nor is every component of each embodiment of the deviceand method shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those ofordinary skill in the art to understand the device and method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preceding summary, as well as the following detailed description ofthe disclosed device and method, will be better understood when read inconjunction with the attached drawings. It should be understood,however, that neither the device nor the method is limited to theprecise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a top view of the toilet shield system in an openconfiguration embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the toilet shield system in an openconfiguration embodying the invention.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary placement of the toilet shield system accordingto aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top-down view of the toilet shield system according toaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a top-down interior view of the toilet shield system in anopen configuration with a pouch for paper wipes and sanitary hand wipesaccording to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a top-down interior view of the toilet shield system in anopen configuration showing a pouch for paper gloves attached to theexterior of the top section of the toilet shield system according toaspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the toilet shield system in a closedconfiguration according to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8A is a top view of the toilet shield system in an openconfiguration for an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8B is a top view of the toilet shield system in an openconfiguration for another alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 9A-9E illustrate an origami-style folding of the system inaccordance with a method of present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the devices and methodsdisclosed herein can be implemented using any toilet. The presentinvention covers a toilet and prevents release of microbes and smallwaste particles after flushing. The system is made of tissue-type,non-porous, disposable, and biodegradable material, and is impregnatedwith an antimicrobial agent. In a preferred embodiment, the system iscomprised of a top section and a bottom section that are attachedthrough a perforated section that allows for easy separation. The lowersection of the system is attached to the toilet seat with tabs on thelower side and the top section is attached to the back of the toiletwith tabs on the upper side.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to FIG. 1,there is shown a top view of the toilet shield system 34 in an openconfiguration that is made of tissue-type, non-porous paper. The systemcomprises of a top section (virtual lid) 10 and a bottom section 12.Both sections are comprised of biodegradable sheet that is impregnatedwith an antimicrobial agent. Please note that the bottom section adheredto the toilet seat is not impregnated with the antimicrobial agent. Bothsections are attached by a perforated section 32 that allows for easyseparation. In this embodiment, there are two semi-circular handles 16that allow a user to pull the bottom section off the toilet seat. Thebottom section includes a central cutout flap portion 14 having aperforated tear line 15 that is adapted to be torn along the tear lineand pushed down into a bowl of the toilet. FIG. 3 illustrates anexemplary placement of the toilet shield system fitting perfectly on atoilet 22. FIG. 4 further illustrates how the top section of the systemwill fit on the top portion of a toilet 24. In some instances, insteadof the tear down flap, the system can include an opening in the centerof the bottom section.

FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the toilet shield system. The top sectionattaches to the back of a toilet by an adhesive tab 20 located on thetop of the system. The bottom section attaches to the toilet seat by twoadhesive tabs 16 located near the handles.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a first disposable tearpouch 26 is detachably coupled to the interior of the top section of thesystem. The first pouch may include one or more disposable paper wipesand/or one or more sanitary hand wipes as illustrated in FIG. 5. In someinstances, the first pouch can include a pair of paper gloves. In someinstances, the gloves can be made of latex or any other suitable rubbermaterial. According to another embodiment of the present invention, thefirst pouch can also be permanently attached to the interior of the topsection of the system. The first pouch can also include a disposableprotective safety mask.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, the system caninclude the second pouch 28 attached to the exterior of the top sectionof the system having a pair of paper gloves 30 as shown in FIG. 6. Thepouch can be permanently attached to the exterior of the top section orcan be a tear pouch detachably coupled to the exterior of the topsection. In some instances, instead or in addition to a pair of papergloves, the second pouch can include one or more disposable paper wipesand/or one or more sanitary hand wipes. In some instances, the glovescan be made of latex or any other suitable rubber material. The secondpouch can also include a disposable protective safety mask.

In some instances of the present invention, the first and second pouchescan be located on the same plane, either on the exterior or interior ofthe top section. According to some embodiments, the first pouch can belocated on the bottom section and the second pouch on the top section ofthe shield system, or vice versa, either on the exterior or interior ofthe bottom section.

In some instances, the top and bottom sections of the toilet shieldsystem are shaped to match the shape of the toilet bowl 38 and the topsection of the toilet 36 as seen in FIG. 7. FIG. 8A, and FIG. 8Bdemonstrate alternative shapes of the invention in open configurations.The top section can be partially oval or semi-circular and the bottomsection can be rectangular (or square) in shape as illustrated in FIG.8A. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the topand bottom sections can be partially oval or semi-circular in shape asshown in FIG. 8B. In some instances, the top section can be rectangular(or square) in shape and the bottom section can be partially oval orsemi-circular.

The toiled shield system of the present invention is designed to be usedwith any kind of toilet, home or public such as toilets installed inairplanes, trains, buses, or other forms of public transportation. Thetop portion of the shield system is configured to be attached directlyto the tank (if the toiled does not include a seat and/or a lid) or to alifted lid or a seat, depending on the configuration of a particulartoilet. The bottom portion of the system is configured to attach to therim of the toilet bowl (if there is no seat or the seat is lifted) or tothe seat if the seat is not lifted).

The system of the present invention can be folded before use in auser-friendly packaging. In some instances, it can be an origami-stylepackaging, a compact, single use package that is self-contained withfoldout design exposing the first and/or the second pouches initiallyand then the toilet seat cover thereafter (i.e., folded such that thefirst pouch and/or the second pouch are exposed and thereby easilyaccessible by a user; for example, the shield system can be folded suchthat both pouches are on the same plane. It can be achieved, forexample, by placing the system the interior side up so the first pouchis visible as shown in FIG. 9A, folding the shield system in half alongthe center line (perforated line) while the first pouch still remainsvisible as shown in FIG. 9B, and then folding the left corner downthereby exposing the second pouch and placing it on the same plane withthe first pouch as illustrated in FIG. 9C, making them both visible andeasily accessible by a user. The resulted package can be folded oncemore along the vertical line, such that both pouches are not anymore onthe same plane while still visible and accessible by a user as shown inFIG. 9D and FIG. 9E. It will be appreciate by a person skilled in theart, that it can be achieved using various folding technics and willdepend on the respective positioning of the first and second pouches aslong as the pouches are located in different quadrants of the topsection, or on different sections of the shield system (for example, thefirst pouch on the top section and the second pouch on the bottomsection, or vice versa). In some instances, the origami folding can beresulted in only one pouch being exposed (visible and easily accessibleby a user). For example, only the first pouch is being exposed as aresult of the origami-style folding, or alternatively, only the secondpouch is being exposed.

The method of using the system for preventing microbes and small wasteparticles from releasing into the air when toilet seat cover is in use,includes the steps of unfolding the toilet shield system from a foldedform (i.e., packaging), placing the top and bottom sections on thetoilet, securing the system with adhesive tabs located on the top andbottom sections of the system, removing paper gloves from the secondpouch located on the exterior of the top section, removing paper fromthe first pouch located on the interior top section, removing sanitaryhand wipes from the first pouch, after use, manually peeling the bottomsection by lifting adhesion tabs on both sides and placing into thetoilet bowl, manually peeling the top section and placing into thetoilet bowl, and flushing the toilet shield system with the content ofthe toilet bowl, thereby causing the plume effect to be contained andflushed away. If the system is folded in the origami style packagingsuch that both pouches are exposed (and easily accessible by a user) asdescribed above, then the steps of removing sanitary items and glovesfrom the first and second pouch can be performed prior to unfolding thepouch.

While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in theforegoing detailed description of the invention, it should beappreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also beappreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments areonly examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability,or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoingdetailed description will provide those skilled in the art with aconvenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment of theinvention, it being understood that various changes may be made in thefunction and arrangement of elements described in an exemplaryembodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as setforth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Although the invention is described herein with reference to specificembodiments, various modifications and changes can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention as set forth in theclaims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to beregarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and allsuch modifications are intended to be included within the scope of thepresent invention. Any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problemsthat are described herein with regard to specific embodiments are notintended to be construed as a critical, required, or essential featureor element of any or all the claims.

Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used toarbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus,these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or otherprioritization of such elements.

The foregoing detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and isnot intended to limit the invention or application and uses of theinvention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by anyexpressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field,background, brief summary, or the following detailed description.

What is claimed is:
 1. A toilet shield system comprising: a top sectionadapted to substantially cover the back of a toilet and a bottom sectionadapted to substantially cover a toilet seat and to prevent release ofmicrobes and small waste particles after flushing; wherein the bottomsection includes a central cutout flap portion having a perforated tearline that is adapted to be torn along the tear line and pushed down intoa bowl of the toilet.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the top andbottom sections are disposable.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein thematerial of the system comprising tissue-type, non-porous paper.
 4. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the top and bottom sections are eachcomprised of biodegradable sheet impregnated with an antimicrobialagent.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the top and the bottom sectionsare detachably attached by a perforated section that allows for easyseparation.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the top section attachesto the back of a toilet by one or more adhesive tabs disposed on theexterior of the top section.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein thebottom section attaches to the toilet seat by one or more adhesive tabsdisposed on the exterior of the bottom section.
 8. The system of claim1, wherein the bottom section further comprises one or more handles forpulling the bottom section off the toilet seat.
 9. The system of claim1, wherein the top section further comprising a first disposable pouchcoupled to the interior of the top section.
 10. The system of claim 9,wherein the first pouch further comprising one or more disposable paperwipes.
 11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first pouch furthercomprising one or more disposable sanitary hand wipes.
 12. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the top section further comprising a second pouchattached to the exterior of the top section having a pair of disposablepaper gloves placed inside the pouch.
 13. The system of claim 1, whereinthe bottom section adhered to the toilet seat is not impregnated with anantimicrobial agent.
 14. The toilet system of claim 1, wherein the topand bottom sections are folded together in an origami style prior touse.
 15. The toilet system of claim 1, wherein the top and bottomsections are shaped to match the shape of the bowl and a toilet cover.16. The toilet system of claim 15, wherein the top and bottom sectionsare oval or rectangular or square in shape.
 17. A method of preventingmicrobes and small waste particles from releasing into the air whentoilet seat cover is in use, the method comprising the steps of:unfolding the toilet shield system from a folded form; placing the topand bottom sections on the toilet; securing the system with adhesivetabs located on the top and bottom sections of the system; removingpaper gloves from the second pouch located on the exterior of the topsection; removing one or more sanitary items from the first pouchlocated on the interior of the top section; after use, peeling thebottom section by lifting adhesion tabs on both sides and placing intothe toilet bowl; peeling the top section and placing into the toiletbowl; and flushing the toilet shield system with content of toilet bowl;thereby causing the plume effect to be contained and flushed away. 18.The method of claim 17, wherein the folded form is an origami stylefolding.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the system is folded suchthat the at least one of the first pouch and the second pouch is exposedand thereby easily accessible by a user.
 20. The method of claim 19,wherein the step of removing the gloves from the second pouch and thestep of removing one or more sanitary items from the first pouch areperformed before unfolding the toilet shield system from a folded form.